Three Tales of Strength
by Atlantean Pineapple
Summary: *Spoilers for S3* Three short stories based around Gwaine, "Strength". Morgause reflects on a decision, Gwaine visits the site of her "death," and Merlin uncovers a secret. There is a classic bit of Arthurian legend made to tie in with the show.
1. A Mother's Dilemma

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Merlin._

**A Mother's Dilemma**

Arthur was traveling with two men, she had been told. Doubtless one would be Merlin. The other, she feared, was Gwaine. She had always known he had a destiny, as Strength, but also as Arthur's greatest ally. She had tried to turn him from that destiny, had tried to keep him to herself. But he had left her, and in the far, long misplaced part of her heart that was still capable of love, she still loved him.

He was her son, after all.

Morgause shifted in her chair, staring into the distance. She had still sent the undefeatable army after them, knowing what she knew. The words still ran through her head. "…kill them…" She had called for her own son's death. But she had hesitated, considering calling the soldiers back and telling them to bring the one called Gwaine to her. The hesitation had passed without action. Her eyebrows pulled together. She had come so far, and lost so much. If she showed a weak spot now… She couldn't quit. She didn't want to stop.

Gwaine would be alright. He would survive; she knew he would. She had taught him everything he knew, and she had taught him well. Morgause had defeated Prince Arthur once before and she knew very well that her son could do the same. As much as she hated to admit it, that was no small feat and if he could accomplish that, he could evade the immortal army for some time.

'_I will find him,'_ she thought, _'…when Morgana is on the throne. I will find him and I will convince him to join me. He will be spared and I will have yet more power in Camelot.' _For if Morgause wished it, Morgana would do anything for her. Even marry Gwaine, making him the king at her side, with Morgause behind it all, pulling the strings.

Did she believe it? It was hard to say. His spirit was strong and his will was great. It would take time and patience to convince him of his rightful place.

In any case, he would survive this first strike, if it was indeed him. If he died, Uther would pay all the more.

Her fingers tightened on the arms of the chair, and she breathed in deeply, staring out a window and over the land. "My plan… will not fail."


	2. The Final Farewell

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Merlin_.

**The Final Farewell**

The room was silent. Rubble was still scattered throughout most of the room, but it had been cleared from the center of the room to form piles all around the edges. His eyes were immediately drawn to splatters of blood on the floor. That was where Morgause had lain, defeated, with Morgana bringing the walls down around them. For some time, he couldn't take his eyes away from the discolored stone, although he didn't really see it. His fingers gripped the gold ring and crescent sliver of silver in his hand, feeling them press roughly into his skin.

A stern expression weighed on his face, drawing his eyebrows down and pulling his lips into a frown. He'd worn the expression not long before this late-night visit. When Arthur had knighted him. He hadn't been asked if he wanted to be a knight. He didn't think it fit him, despite something inside telling him that he belonged there. But he figured it would hardly matter. Uther would overturn Arthur's choice soon enough. Because even though Gwaine would love to see the horrified look on Uther's face if he found out the rugged man was a noble, he would still perish. The satisfaction would slowly slide away as the king started asking questions; questions like, "Who were your parents?" And there was no hiding genealogy from a king for long. That was why he could never use his standing to stick around, even if he wanted to.

It would be a shame to leave his friend, indeed his brother in spirit, Merlin. He would even miss Arthur… Once you got past the annoyingly arrogant outer layer, there was a fine future king inside. Not that he would ever say it to his face. It was hard enough admitting it to himself. All his talk of distaste for nobles hadn't been a farce, after all. He knew how cruel they could be.

But not his father. His father had been a good man. He knew it inside. Despite everything that told him his mother could have made it all up to build his anger toward her enemy, he knew it wasn't so. It was what had pushed her to her breaking point. She hadn't always been that way. Then she had been betrayed. Then she changed, and he left. Then she betrayed him.

Or had she? The army attacked them, but she had no way of knowing her son was the one she had sentenced to death. As Gwaine closed his eyes and breathed in the dust and smell of old blood, his mouth was on the verge of a snarl. Did she know he was there? Did she not care if he died?

He cleared his throat a few times, beginning to pace slowly in a very small space of the room. A few steps to the left, and few to the right. Back and forth, his eyes always returning to that one sign that it was over.

He would never know now. He wouldn't know if she still loved him. He wouldn't know if she had tried to have him killed or if she would have spared him. It would forever be a mystery. Gwaine was strong. He knew he wasn't in the wrong, but even with that knowledge, he still wanted to know she cared, that she was still capable of caring, that she still had part of the heart he had seen as a child buried somewhere deep inside her.

In the end, she had given him the answer, he supposed. Was it the one he wanted? He didn't want to think on it too hard. He deserved to leave at least that one illusion in place, keep that one hope. She owed him that.

He stopped pacing and faced the brown spot again, seeing it in his heart as red and fresh as if it had just happened.

"It didn't have to come to this," he said, his voice seeming torn between sadness and anger. His eyes lingered on the dark, dried blood for a moment more before turning on his heel and making his way out of the room. Just before he passed through the hole that had once been a door, he stopped and turned his head slightly.

"Goodbye, mother."


	3. To Brotherhood

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Merlin._

**To Brotherhood**

"It all makes sense now, you know."

Gwaine turned to Merlin with a raised eyebrow and a grin. "What does?"

Merlin didn't look at him. He simply looked ahead as they walked through the village, his face serious. It set Gwaine on edge.

"Just the little things. I thought it was odd that you refused to tell Uther who you were, even to get out of the banishment. I mean, most people would have done it just out of spite."

"Well, I'm not most people, am I. Though I am curious why you think there's more to it than what I told you." He smiled teasingly. "Or did you only just figure out what I meant?"

"No… I'm just not sure I believe your distaste for nobility is the only reason. And I'm certain your anger is not completely aimed at Uther."

"Why the sudden distrust, Merlin?"

Merlin stopped and faced his friend, out of earshot of the commoners at market. "Because there is something you didn't tell me, isn't there?"

Gwaine's face was overtaken by that expression again- the one he hated, the one that felt so heavy. "Surely I'm not the only one."

Now a flash of confusion passed over Merlin's face. "What?"

"I may be a bit slipshod, but I'm not an idiot. Did you really think I'd fall for the 'there's wolves out there, Gwaine, so you should get the firewood' act?"

Merlin's face was normal, but he blinked a few too many times. "I don't know what you mean. Are talking about right after we lost the Cup?"

Gwaine chuckled slightly. "You're too much like me, Merlin. We both find it more convenient to play the fool."

Merlin sighed, finally letting the badly-formed illusion drop. "You know."

"Yes. And I won't say anything. After all, you didn't tell Arthur my father was a knight."

"It doesn't bother you?" the young man asked, too turned around by the way Gwaine had turned the tables on him to remember that he was supposed to be the one running this chat.

"No. You're a good man. I can tell. I'm very good at that sort of thing." Gwaine was grinning again, his usual charming self returning to further manipulate the conversation. Merlin grinned back. "What do you say you help me pull a prank on His Royal Highness to celebrate this new level of brotherhood?"

It was the word "brotherhood" that did it. Merlin's smile began to fade and soon he was laughing ironically. "Oh, you're good. But I haven't forgotten why I wanted to talk to you."

"Why was that?" Gwaine asked innocently.

"I saw you last night!" he finally blurted.

At first, Gwaine's eyebrows rose. Then they fell, then they sunk, taking his mouth with them, and Merlin saw the same look he had seen when the scruffy man had received his knighthood, and even farther back when he had suggested telling Uther his heritage and remaining in Camelot to become a knight. He looked… angry or disturbed. Something he had never really thought too much about until now.

"I understand why you didn't tell me. I mean, I wouldn't have told me either. And as I said, it all makes so much sense now. Why you wander, why you have issues with Camelot, why you were so against becoming a knight, even how…"

"Even how I was able to figure out your secret, yah?" All traces of his usual good humor were gone.

"You didn't want this, did you?" It was finally dawning on Merlin just what had transpired, what must have been weighing on his friend all this time. "You were ashamed."

"No," Gwaine snapped. "I wasn't ashamed." He spoke slowly. "I didn't agree with her and I severed all ties with her when I found out what she was doing." He looked Merlin directly in the eyes, but seemed to look through him. "I have nothing to be ashamed of."

"And yet you'd die if they ever found out," Merlin said, shaking his head.

Gwaine turned to look out toward the forest, running a hand through his hair. "That's the way of this place."

Merlin's mouth hung open slightly and his voice was unbelieving. "I've helped them clip your wings."

Gwaine was silent for a moment before turned to face Merlin again. "No," he said with a smile, then a laugh. "I've never had friends before. I've never been truly needed, let alone wanted. I was living my life one way, and now it's time to try another. It should be good fun!"

"You've a good heart, Gwaine. I think you'll be the best knight Camelot's ever seen." There was silence for a moment and a small, joking smile cracked his face. "Even if you are more than a bit slipshod!"

Gwaine laughed. "That's Sir Slipshod to you!"

"Ah, yes, well _Sir Slipshod, _didn't you mention something about pulling a prank on a prince?"

"I think I mentioned it, yes. Do you know where we could find some frogs?"

**Author's Note: **Thank you to everyone who has read this story, and a special thanks to those of you who reviewed and added it to favorites or alert. I hope you've all enjoyed, and if you're interested, there is a short sequel called "The Fourth Tale." Wishing you all wonderful days, A.P.


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